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Rutgers hoping O-line problem will be a thing of the past

Right tackle Art Forst insists Rutgers' offensive line needs to be both physical and precise. "If we could be where we are with how physical we're being and match that with execution I think we can be a really good offensive line.'' (MyCentralJersey.com file photo)

PISCATAWAY — On some days, Rutgers center Howard Barbieri believes the offensive line he captains can be the best in the Big East. Other days, he believes the unit could be the worst.

“”Some practices we’re all firing on all cylinders. And other practices we’re just a guy off,” said Barbieri, a fifth-year senior manning the middle of Rutgers’ offensive line. “”It could be anyone. It’s been me a couple days. It’s not just one person. It rotates through everyone I guess.”

Most frustrating to Barbieri is that the problems have gone beyond practice, often occuring when it matters most. Through two games, Rutgers’ offensive line has been anything but dominant, and it’s been cited as one of the key reasons why the Scarlet Knights offense ranks 100th nationally in total yards produced.

“”It’s frustrating for anyone, any team,” Barbieri said. “”If a few people aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do, it could ruin the whole game. And that goes for not only Rutgers but for Alabama, too. For any team, you need a strong line to win.”

While the offensive line struggles haven’t resulted in any defeats, the Scarlet Knights (2-0) will experience their first major test when North Carolina arrives at Rutgers Stadium next Saturday.

It’s no wonder why Rutgers coach Greg Schiano spent the bye week focusing on ways to improve his blocking unit.“”They’re more physical,” Schiano said, offering his assessment for how the offensive line improved from its three bye-week practices. “”They’re staying on blocks a little bit longer, which is the key. We just need to do that a little bit longer in pass protection. I think we’ve made some progress in some areas and we kind of held steady in others, which if you’re holding steady you’re getting worse. So we need to get that better.”

While Schiano continues to be impressed with his offensive line’s “”physical” play, the Rutgers coach says mental errors have been too common through the first two games.

“”We’re making mistakes,” he said. “”We’re being physical but if you’re not doing the right thing, then you’re not helping. So we have to make sure we continue the physicality but we also have to make sure we’re doing the little things.”

“”It needs to be in quick flashes, like a soundbite, ‘Boom, this is what I gotta do,’ ” Barbieri said. “”We’re over-thinking out there. Everything we’ve learned has to be like second-nature to us.”

For all the negatives being pointed toward an offensive line, Art Forst says there are some positives as well.

“”I would say one of the things that we are doing well is we’re moving people,” Rutgers’ junior right tackle said. “”There are people being moved off the line of scrimmage. It’s the most physical line that I’ve been a part of here at Rutgers, really moving people. So I think that’s encouraging.”

Though the offensive line has yielded four sacks in two games, Forst said “”the pass protection is getting better.”

“”I think we’re very close,” he offered, “”to being a good pass-protection unit. There’s just a couple things on that film that we’re not doing. It’s not like a guy is not good enough; it’s just we were looking in the wrong place.”

Run-blocking is a different story. While the overall rushing statistics are respectable (172 average-per-game), Schiano has often stressed the need to run the ball effectively when the need arises. And that, Schiano says, hasn’t happened for an offense that’s averaged only 89 yards through the first three quarters in its two games.

According to Forst, the offensive inconsistency is a team-wide problem, with the offensive line are part of the issue.

“”You need to have 11 guys execute and I think the story of the first two weeks is 10 of 11 on most plays executing,” Forst said. “”There were only a couple plays last week on the whole film where we had all 11 guys executing.”

So how do the problems afflicting the offense in general and the o-line in particular get fixed?

“”I think it’s just having a heightened level of ‘This is big-time college football’ and you need to prepare,” Forst said. “”The hours that we’re asked to be here are not enough. You have to come here study your game-plan. And that’s really it. If we could be where we are with how physical we’re being and match that with execution I think we can be a really good offensive line.”

For an offensive line that’s been called a “‘work-in-progress” since they started playing together last spring, Forst insists the unit has never wavered in its desire to improve.

“”It’s not frustrating,” Forst said. “”Right now I’d say (the mentality) is, “Ok, this is what we’ve done done well and how do we get better at it?’ Now, it will tick me off if we don’t continue to get better. If we’re sitting here the 10th game of the season and we haven’t improved, then that’ll be frustrating, definitely.”

About Keith Sargeant

Keith Sargeant is a graduate of Middlesex County College and Kean University. A Home News Tribune staff writer since August 1997, Keith has been covering Rutgers sports since 2000, serving as the Scarlet Knights' football beat writer since 2006.

Not withstanding the shortcomings of inexperience, the brain trust themselves still needs to learn to call what they can do during games and what the opposition can't handle. Please keep trying, UNC is no pushover.

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